It was already well-known that late Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, was no fan of Fox News calling it "an incredibly destructive force in our society". But now excerpts from a new book about the 2012 American presidential campaign, “The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies” shows he was prepared to back this up by refusing to allow his company's ads on the channel.
Despite still being able to command huge audiences Jobs clearly thought the toxicity of being associated with the Rupert Murdoch-owned business outweighed the benefits.
A passage from Jobs' 2011 authorised biography shows their were political and moral reasons underpinning the decision too.
In a meeting with Murdoch, Jobs said:
"You're blowing it with Fox News," Jobs told him over dinner. "The axis today is not liberal and conservative, the axis is constructive-destructive, and you've cast your lot with the destructive people. Fox has become an incredibly destructive force in our society. You can be better, and this is going to be your legacy if you're not careful."
'The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies' will be available to buy in June.